Why do your everyday consumer vehicles have tires with tread, but Formula 1 tires are smooth?
In: 23
Because your tires need to work in about 100 different weather and terrain conditions. F1 tires don’t. Tires with no tread offer far more grip on dry, paved surfaces. Just think about it. Cutting tread into tire is *removing* material which **lowers** the contact patch with the ground. This is bad for grip. You have less tire making contact with the road.
But if it even starts to *drizzle* then those tires become basically un-driveable. With no tread on the tire, the tire has no way to push water out from underneath. It basically just floats or ‘skips’ on top of the water and you lose control.
Also, some F1 tires *do* have tread on them. When it starts raining, [they switch to these.](https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/b/pirelli-f-race-tyres-formula-one-oz-wheels-stands-paddock-lightly-grooved-intermediate-wet-tyre-65482648.jpg)
Latest Answers